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- Herausgeber: Little Tiger Press
- Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
- Serie: Puppy Club
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024
Welcome to Puppy Club! Join Jaya, Willow, Daniel, Elsa, Arlo and Harper as they all navigate the ups and downs of life with a brand-new puppy! Harper adores her puppy Minnie, but the pup hates being home alone and it's stressing out the whole family. They realize that Minnie is suffering from separation anxiety, and with Harper's school residential trip coming up, she feels really guilty about leaving Minnie for five whole days. Luckily, the Puppy Clubbers are on hand to help – it's time for Operation Home Alone! But with lots of adjustments to be made, can Harper help Minnie become more independent before the school trip?
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Contents
5
Chapter 1
“Settle down, everyone,” called Mr Priest. “I know it’s Friday afternoon, but we need to go through this packing list.”
Harper felt a surge of excitement as she focused on the list in front of her.
“You’ll need two pairs of trainers,” Mr Priest went on. “And a sun hat and sun lotion, as we’ll be outside all day.”
With just over two weeks to go until 7their first school residential, Harper didn’t think she had ever looked forward to a holiday more in her life. Four whole nights away, all by themselves. Apart from the teachers, of course! She frowned. There was just one drawback: leaving Minnie. Harper hadn’t left her puppy for one night, let alone four.
As Mr Priest continued reading out the packing list, Minnie’s inquisitive face kept floating into Harper’s mind. Would her puppy be OK without her?
The bell went for home time and everyone piled out of the classroom, buzzing with excitement.
“This trip is going to be AWESOME!” Willow cried.
Elsa crossed her fingers. “I hope we get to share a room!”
Daniel elbowed Arlo. “Us too!” 8
Arlo nodded. “Mr Priest said we’ll find out on Monday.”
Willow was scanning the packing list. “I think my old sun hat’s too small.”
“Same for my walking boots,” said Jaya. “I’ll have to use Sam’s old ones.”
Elsa hung back with Harper, who was still lost in Minnie thoughts. “You OK?”
9“What?” Harper muttered distractedly. “Yes. I mean … it’s just I’m going to miss Minnie so much. She’s been on my mind today – it was her first time home alone as Dad had to pop out for a meeting. I hope she hasn’t been too lonely.”
Elsa smiled. “I bet she’s been fine.”
But Harper wasn’t so sure.
On the way home, Mum had to jog to keep up with Harper, who was scooting ahead, keen to see her puppy. As they stepped through the front door, Minnie flew out of the kitchen, yapping and jumping around them.
Harper bent down to stroke her, but the pup was so frantic it was hard to get close.
Dad appeared in the hallway with an anxious look on his face. 10
Mum frowned. “Is everything OK?”
“Let’s just say it hasn’t been the best day,” Dad sighed.
Harper stopped trying to catch Minnie and looked up, alarmed. “What happened?”
“This!” Dad held up the cable for his laptop, which had been chewed in half.
“Oh, Minnie,” Harper exclaimed. “You didn’t!”
“She did.” Dad tried not to look cross as Minnie continued yapping and whizzing around their feet. “While I was out. And look!” He pointed at the kitchen door, which was covered in scratch marks.
“Poor Minnie!” cried Harper, finally managing to grab the wriggling pup. “She’s trembling!” She nuzzled her nose into Minnie’s furry head, making the soft, shushing noise she used to calm 11her down. “It’s not your fault, Minnie,” she soothed. She looked up at Dad. “She’s not used to being left alone. She must have been scared.”
Dad reached over and stroked Minnie’s ear. “I suppose she must have.”
“Dad, you can’t leave her alone again,” said Harper. “Can you take her with you to meetings?”
12Dad raised his eyebrows. “As lovely as that would be, my clients would probably be so distracted by this cute little bundle they wouldn’t listen to a word I said.”
Harper cuddled Minnie close. “She’s still shaking!”
Mum sighed. “Well, if Dad’s going to be out at more meetings over the next few weeks, we’ll have to think of a way to train her to be calmer while she’s on her own.”
Dad scratched his head. “Maybe it’s a one-off. Perhaps something outside spooked her. I don’t remember our old dog batting an eyelid when she was left in the house alone, even as a pup.”
“That was different,” said Mum. “It was a farm and there were always people coming and going so he was used to it. Minnie clearly isn’t.”
“She’s just a baby,” Harper insisted. 13
“We need to work out how to help her,” Mum said firmly.
“How about I stay off school to look after her when Dad’s out?” Harper said.
Mum smiled. “Oh, Harper, you can’t skip school! Imagine what Mr Priest would say.”
“I know,” said Dad. “Next time I go out, I’ll leave Minnie’s toys in the kitchen and scatter some treats around. That should keep her happy.”
Harper frowned. She wasn’t convinced. She popped Minnie on to the floor to get herself a drink, but the pup began whimpering and nuzzling her ankle. She picked her up again and sat down. The whimpering stopped. “Look how clingy Minnie is! I think she’s worried we’re going to leave her again.”
Mum nodded. “How about you and I 14take her for a walk? That’ll cheer us all up. Just give me a minute to get changed.”
“And I’ll pop to the shops to buy a new cable,” said Dad, picking up his keys and heading for the door.
While Mum was upstairs, Harper fed Minnie one of the treats she always kept in her pocket. “I’m sorry you’re so upset, Minnie,” she said gently. “You’re still so little to be left alone.” Harper’s stomach churned at the thought of the residential. Four whole nights away! She’d been so looking forward to it, but how much fun would she have if she knew Minnie was here all alone and miserable? She crossed her fingers tightly. “Please let Dad not have any meetings while I’m away,” she whispered. “I just want Minnie to be happy.”
Chapter 2
As usual, on Saturday morning, Harper and the rest of Puppy Club arrived at Underdogs Rescue Centre to help out.
Ashani, Jaya’s auntie who ran the centre, was in Reception putting up some posters. “Morning! Before you get started, I have some news.”
She attached the last poster and turned to them with a big smile. 16
“I’ve just had an update on the funds for the new wing,” she said. “With the Waggy Tails Dog Walk, the donations generated by the newspaper article and your school bake off, we’re officially a quarter of the way towards our total!”
Willow and Arlo whooped as everyone else high-fived.
“And guess what?” Ashani continued. “I heard yesterday that Underdogs has been shortlisted for some council funding. I have to do a presentation to explain why we deserve the money, but if they choose us we’ll be halfway to our new wing extension!”
Jaya flung her arms around Ashani. “That’s amazing news!”
“I have another surprise for you, too,” Ashani said. “Tom and Sarita, our student volunteers, have come up with a 17new fundraising idea I think you’ll want to get involved in. More details soon!”
“Can’t you tell us now?” Jaya pleaded.
Ashani grinned and shook her head. “All in good time! But right now, let’s get to work.”
Once they had washed and filled the dog bowls ready for lunch, Ashani said they could spend the rest of the morning outside, helping Tom and Sarita do the weekly check of the dog exercise area. Jaya and Willow were tasked with looking for holes in the hedges to make sure no dogs could escape. Arlo and Elsa had the unenviable job of picking up litter, while Daniel and Harper helped to construct a large sail to provide shade from the summer heat. As a reward for their hard work Tom and Sarita organized some games of fetch with two 18new dogs – Cyril, a small, black Highland terrier and Lily, a fox red Labrador. Cyril was old and rather slow but Lily had so much energy, no amount of fetch seemed to tire her out!
19It was such a busy morning, Harper’s Minnie worries faded away for a while, but at lunchtime they came flooding back when her parents arrived to collect her with no Minnie in sight. She dashed over. “You haven’t left Minnie by herself, have you?”
Dad nodded. “But don’t worry, it’s only been twenty minutes or so – and we left her a pile of chew toys and some treats.”
Harper grimaced. “I hope she’s OK.”
“So do I,” said Mum.
Harper sprinted off to the car. She didn’t have a good feeling about this at all.
No sooner were they in the house than they heard whines coming from behind the kitchen door and the sound of 20scratching and scrabbling. Harper flung the door open and Minnie flew out, yelping and jumping around her legs.
“Oh no!” Harper cried in dismay.
